Shenseea Didn’t Pay For Any Of The Features On ‘Alpha’

Shenseea‘s debut album ALPHA included rap collaborations with the likes of Megan Thee Stallion, 21 Savage, Offset, and Tyga but, according to the Jamaican singer, she didn’t have to pay for a single one.

“In every song that I have the feature, I wanted them and I got them. Like I hear this artist, [I] reach out and they said yes and they did it,” the Deserve It singer told NME, following the album’s release on March 11 via Rich Immigrants/Interscope Records.

“It worked out, always… I didn’t pay for any features on my album,” she revealed.

According to Complex, ‘features’ are big business in the American music industry with top-tier artists, such as Drake, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole and Lil Baby, charging as much as six figures to appear on a song.

“Some artists trade verses amongst collaborators for free, but others have used features as an opportunity to cash out,” the publication wrote last year. “A rapper’s guest verse rate is a sign of relevance, and as their popularity grows, so does their rate. DaBaby, for instance, went from charging $5,000 to $300,000 in a matter of three years. A higher price tag also means higher expectations, though. If an artist is charging six figures for a guest verse, it better translate to a big bump in sales or critical acclaim.”

21 Savage, who is featured on R U That, reportedly has a feature price in the six-figure category, according to Complex.  Megan Thee Stallion, who is featured on Lick, has a feature price of $50,000, according to Celebrity.fm, while Migos rapper Offset, who contributed to Bouncy, reportedly bags around $100,000 on features.  Shenseea’s Target and Blessed collaborator Tyga reportedly has a feature price of around $50,000.

Dancehall stars Beenie Man and Sean Paul were also featured on Henkel Glue and Lying If I Call It Love, respectively.

TV host and music journalist Donovan Watkis says Shenseea’s label has thrown its resources behind ALPHA, even without a hit lead single.  “The support she gets from the American and Jamaican music industry, without the cost, is due in part to who she is which is a nice person,” Watkis told DancehallMag.

“Romeich [Shenseea’s co-manager] has said it many times that she is a hard worker,” he added.

Although none of the featured artists were paid for their guest verses on ALPHA, they, along with the credited songwriters and producers, will still benefit from any sales and streaming generated from the project.

ALPHA is currently No. 1 on the US iTunes Reggae Albums chart.